Okra pepper. Okra (okra): what it is, benefits and contraindications

Exotic okra has many names - edible abelmosh, gombo, okra, lady's fingers, etc. It is a vegetable crop, its young fruits are actively consumed as food - they taste like something between green beans and zucchini. The unusual and unobtrusive taste allows the vegetable to be used both as an ingredient in combined dishes and as an independent side dish.

How to choose okra fruits

It is necessary to understand that okra is an exotic plant, and it has traveled considerable distances before reaching the counter.

Choose good vegetable Following these recommendations will help:

there should be no stains, dried areas, or mold on the surface;
pods with seedlings should reach a length of about 10 centimeters - this is how they stretch in natural conditions;
okra should not be too large in size - there is a risk that such a specimen is already overripe;
juicy, fresh fruit it will feel rough to the touch;
the most delicious fruits- young. You can identify them by the texture of the peel - it should be elastic and dense, but tender. The presence of clearly defined fibers indicates overripeness.

Only fresh and quality product will allow you to cook tasty dish and fully experience the flavor palette created by the vegetable.

Storage Features

Okra stems spoil very quickly, so the shelf life fresh vegetable just a few days. To prevent it from losing its qualities, before sending it to the refrigerator, the pods are wrapped in newspaper or a paper bag - this helps to prolong storage. If the fruits begin to dry, then the dried parts can be cut off, and those that are not yet spoiled can be urgently cooked. As soon as mold begins to appear on the surface, the vegetable should be thrown away.

Fruit recipes

Before cooking okra, it is necessary to prepare it properly.

The purchased fruits are first washed, the stalk is cut off and the pod is thoroughly rubbed with a piece of hard cloth - this will help get rid of hairs on the surface.
Okra should be cooked in a cast iron bowl to prevent the fruit from discoloring.
To preserve the structure of the dish, active stirring and long cooking fruits
You can prepare first courses, sauces, side dishes, and even main menu items from okra. Let's look at a few popular recipes.

Stewed okra

You can cook lady fingers separately, serving them as a side dish on their own, or in combination with other vegetables, combining different flavors and textures.

Fresh okra (0.5 kg in quantity) is prepared by cutting off the ends, being careful not to expose the seeds.
In a hot frying pan, fry 200 grams of onion and 4-5 cloves of garlic in oil, this will add sweetness to the dish.
Then add the pods and cook for another 5 minutes. The okra needs to be salted and peppered and it should be stewed for about a quarter of an hour, boiling down a little.
If desired, you can add pieces of tomatoes (about 400 grams) to the dish.
At the end, season with chopped parsley, add a little olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. The stew can be served either warm or cold.

Vegetables release mucus during cooking– this can be a plus if the goal is to achieve a viscous consistency of the dish. If this is undesirable, then the pieces of the product are first fried until the mucus evaporates, and only then added to the rest of the ingredients.

Pickled

You can make an unusual winter snack from an exotic vegetable at home:

the fruits must be thoroughly washed, the tails trimmed and sprinkled citric acid for 2 hours - this is done for light color and eliminating mucus;
put dill, a few pieces of garlic on the bottom of canning jars, Bay leaf, one dried clove and a few black peppercorns;
okra is placed in jars, poured with boiling water and sent for sterilization in boiling water;
after 5 minutes of sterilization, remove the jars, pour a dessert spoon of kitchen salt and a teaspoon of vinegar into each;
All that remains is to roll up the lid, wrap it until it cools completely and the preparation for the winter is ready.

Cooking with meat

Cuiabo will be an excellent side dish for meat (you can use both fresh and frozen vegetables).

Ingredients:

0.5 kg okra;
about 300 grams of beef or lamb;
5 ripe tomatoes;
4 cloves of garlic;
spices and salt.

The meat is cut into medium-sized pieces, fried in oil and seasoned. If it turns out a bit harsh, then you need to add a little water and simmer until soft. The pods with seeds inside are fried in a separate frying pan until golden brown, chopped garlic is added. Peeled tomatoes are crushed and added to the vegetables to simmer for a couple of minutes. The components of the dish are combined together, adjusted to taste and cooked for another quarter of an hour. Thanks to the mucus in the okra, the sauce will not be runny, and the dish will have the consistency of a stew.

Useful properties of the vegetable

The benefits of fresh okra pods include:

- vitamins A, K, B-group, ascorbic acid;

- calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, thiamine, etc.

It is recommended for pregnant women to consume the vegetable due to high content folic acid, necessary for correct formation fetus
Plant mucilage from fruits regulates sugar levels, which is useful for people with diabetes mellitus, and also improves the work digestive tract, relieving inflammation.
The product helps remove excess cholesterol, toxins, and excess bile from the body, which has a positive effect on human health.

At the same time, okra is an excellent product for people with overweight. Its calorie content is about 40 kcal per 100 grams, which does not harm the figure.

Who is contraindicated for gumbo?

Okra fruits can be harmful if consumed by humans individual intolerance and allergies to the product. No other contraindications for use are described.

When working with fruits, you must be careful - there may be burning areas on the surface that provoke itchy skin, so you need to wear gloves when washing the pods.

Video: how to grow culture at home

Growing exotic okra at home - this is possible if you follow a number of rules. To get a high-quality harvest, we recommend watching this video on planting vegetable seeds for seedlings.

Okra is quite valuable food product, although in our country this exotic vegetable is not very common. Many people don't even know what it is or how they eat it. But okra has many health benefits. Therefore, it is worth learning more about it and taking note of some culinary recipes with step by step photos.

Okra: what kind of vegetable is it?

Okra comes from the southern regions, but received wide use Worldwide. And in various countries it is called differently. Outwardly, this overseas vegetable resembles a pod, only its surface is faceted and covered with small hairs. And to taste in fresh most of all it resembles spinach, and when cooked it resembles zucchini and green beans.

Attention! Only young, not fully ripened fruits up to about 10 cm long and no older than 5 days from the moment of setting are used for food.

With age, the okra pulp coarsens, becoming too tough and unsuitable for consumption. But the grains of fully ripened pods can be used in other ways. Exotic lovers dry them, grind them and use them as a kind of coffee substitute.

Beneficial features

Okra contains many different valuable substances. It is also rich in coarse fiber, which is very beneficial for the body. This vegetable is dietary and is widely used by those who seek to lose weight and get rid of excess weight. It is useful for pregnant and lactating women, as it contains a lot of folic acid. Beneficial influence has an impact on male body if you have problems with potency.

But the beneficial properties of the product are not limited to this. This vegetable is used for many diseases and to restore strength in postoperative period. It has practically no contraindications for use, with the exception of individual intolerance to the product. Lowers sugar levels, has beneficial effect at various ailments digestive system, is used for the treatment of oncology and for the prevention of these diseases.

This exotic vegetable helps well with chronic fatigue, states of depression and severe physical activity. It is also used for:

atherosclerosis;
various respiratory diseases;
some eye diseases.

Features of culinary processing and product preparation

Okra is very easy to prepare. But you should not subject it to prolonged heat treatment. It will only take a few minutes to prepare. But it is advisable not to keep the product on fire for more than 20-25 minutes.

It is very important to pay attention to the preliminary cooking of the product. The fine hairs covering the skin need to be peeled off. If this is not done, the dish will be bitter. In addition, the fibers on the surface of the vegetable can cause allergies in some people.

Advice. It will be much easier to remove the hairs from the surface of the okra along with the skin if you pour boiling water over the vegetable.

You can prepare a wide variety of dishes. It is suitable for canning, freezing, preparing snacks, side dishes, and first courses. The product goes well with a variety of vegetables, cereals and seasonings, with various types meat, fish, seafood. During heat treatment, unless the okra is overheated, and when frozen, the vegetable retains all its beneficial properties. The proposed recipes will help you begin to get acquainted with this overseas product.

Recipe with meat

Okra with meat is a hearty dish, and boiled rice goes well with it as a side dish. For 1 kg of okra you need to take 250 g of beef, a medium-sized onion, 1 hot peppers, a small package of tomato puree (can be replaced tomato paste, only in a smaller volume, since this product is more concentrated), oil for frying, salt and seasonings to taste.

Preparation:

Cut the meat into pieces, finely chop the onion, lightly fry these prepared products together with pepper in oil in a frying pan, then add salt and spices. After frying, the pepper can be removed so that the dish does not taste too spicy, or left.
Fill the contents of the frying pan with water, bring to a boil and keep on fire for about half an hour.
Separately, fry the okra, but not for long, but only until it turns golden in color.
About 10 minutes before the meat is ready, add fried okra and tomato puree or paste. When it becomes soft and the puree begins to thicken, the dish is ready. Serve with rice or other side dish.

Potatoes in pots

Okra goes well with various vegetables, including potatoes. A dish baked in the oven will not only be tasty, but also healthy. For 500 g of okra you will need 250 g of potatoes, a glass of tomato juice, 2 cloves of garlic, vegetable oil, salt and spices to taste.

Okra in section

Preparation:

Wash the okra, peel it, then cut it into slices or leave it whole. Then lightly fry the vegetables in oil.
Peel and cut the potatoes using any preferred method. Finely chop the garlic (pass through a press). Mix potatoes with garlic. Mix tomato juice with salt and spices.
Place okra and potatoes mixed with garlic into baking pots and pour over them tomato juice and place in the oven.
Install temperature regime at 180 degrees, bake the dish in the oven for about 30-40 minutes.
When ready, serve with fresh herbs and sour cream.

Garnish

This vegetable makes an excellent side dish. It can be used as a separate dish or served with meat or fish. To prepare such a tasty and light side dish you will need 0.5 kg of okra, 3 medium tomatoes, 2 onions, any vegetable oil, about 100 ml of water, salt, seasonings to taste.

Okra fruits need to be washed and peeled. They can then be coarsely chopped or cooked whole.
Remove the skins from the tomatoes. And to make it easier to do this, it is better to pour boiling water over them. Then chop the tomatoes finely.
Chop the onion and fry in oil until it acquires a slightly golden hue.
Then add okra to the pan with the onions. Then, after 10 minutes, put the tomatoes there, salt it all, add seasonings.
Stir the contents of the frying pan, pour in water and after it boils, simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat, without covering with a lid.
The finished side dish is served hot.

Such an overseas vegetable as okra is not only an extremely healthy product, but also very tasty. It is quite easy to prepare, there are many interesting recipes. You can also come up with something of your own or use it as a basis various recipes with other vegetables. And in order to preserve all its beneficial properties during cooking, it is advisable not to keep okra on the fire for too long.

Gumbo, bhindi, lady fingers, okra, juno, cuiabo - all this is okra, an exotic fruit native to tropical Africa. It tastes like zucchini, asparagus, eggplant and green beans. Many people notice this unusual bright green vegetable in the supermarket, but never dare to introduce it into their diet. The healthy, beautiful okra will help everyday dishes sparkle in a new way; you just need to know the secrets of its preparation.

okra plant

Okra – annual plant with wide leaves, an elastic thick stem and beautiful large flowers of a yellowish-cream hue. The fruits are green, pyramidal, with white seeds. The skin is covered with fine hairs. The ripe vegetable resembles green pepper pods, a closed zucchini flower, and even the Spanish dessert churros, which has distinct ridges along its entire length.

Beneficial features

The okra vegetable is an invaluable source of vitamins and macroelements. Energy value fruit is only 33 kcal per 100 g of product, it is even added to dietary dishes. The only caveat is individual intolerance or an allergic reaction to the hairs, so they are removed before use. Okra is famous for its taste and healing properties, has a unique chemical composition, has a beneficial effect on the body:

The vegetable strengthens the immune system.
It has an anti-cancer effect and reduces the risk of tumor formation by 2 times, thanks to glutathione.
Okra contains plant mucus and regulates blood glucose levels, so it is recommended for diabetes.
Prevents the development of cataracts and asthma.
Recommended for pregnant women, it prevents the appearance of neural tube defects in the fetus.
Okra vegetable promotes tissue regeneration.
Blocks carcinogens and aggressive free radicals that harm the body.
Okra normalizes acid-base balance, nervous and of cardio-vascular system, blood clotting, hemoglobin.
The vegetable contains fiber, which “sweeps out” everything unnecessary, normalizes intestinal motility, removes bile, cholesterol and toxins, and improves metabolism.

How to choose okra fruits

Unripe or overripe okra cannot be frozen and cannot be pronounced taste, so it is important to choose the right fruits. There should be no traces of mold, suspicious dark spots, dry areas, hard fibers on them - these are signs of overripe vegetables. The length of a medium-sized, elastic, tender, but slightly rough pod should not exceed 10 cm.

Okra Recipes

Regardless of the recipe, they try not to expose okra to long heat treatment, stir gently, do not cook in cast iron cookware. The fruits are washed thoroughly to remove hairs, and the stalk is cut off. The ideal company for okra is tomatoes, garlic, lemon, ginger. The vegetable is added to sauces, fish and meat dishes, soups, combined with seafood, stewed, marinated. Even “coffee” with a spicy, bitter taste is made from roasted seeds.

Okra soup

Time: 1 hour.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 125 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: first course.
Cuisine: international.
Difficulty: medium.

Hearty okra soup becomes even more delicious with the addition of some beans for flavor and texture. It is soaked overnight and then boiled in fresh water until tender. The dish can easily be made vegetarian by abandoning meat in favor of celery, fennel, zucchini or others healthy vegetables. In this case, okra fruits are ground together with other ingredients.

Ingredients:

okra – 360 g;
beef – 520 g;
carrots – 75 g;
onion – 75 g;
potatoes – 270 g;
bell pepper – 145 g;
tomatoes – 190 g;
vegetable oil – 35 ml;
spices - to taste.

Cooking method:

Cut tomatoes into slices, pepper into strips.
Boil the beef until tender, remove from the broth. Chop and return to the pan.
Add spices, okra and diced potatoes to the broth. Cook for 20 minutes.
Chop the onion, grate the carrots. Saute in oil, add to meat, okra and vegetables.
Bring to a boil, remove from heat after 3 minutes.
Serve the dish with homemade bread.

Stewed gumbo

Time: 45 minutes.
Number of servings: 3 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 55 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: garnish.
Cuisine: Arabic.
Difficulty: medium.

Aromatic stewed gumbo is a creative alternative to warm salad, ajap sandal, or any side dish of vegetables, which will no longer surprise anyone. The dish is prepared from fresh or frozen fruits; in the latter case, no water is required. They are cut into 2-3 parts, depending on the size. For a richer taste, okra is pre-soaked in water and vinegar.

Ingredients:

okra – 510 g;
cherry tomatoes – 320 g;
water – 50 ml;
olive oil – 35 ml;
garlic – 4 teeth;
salt - to taste;
greens - to taste.

Cooking method:

Chop the tomatoes and fry in oil until soft.
Add chopped okra and fry vegetables for 5 minutes.
Chop the garlic, combine with salt and hot boiled water.
Pour the sauce into the pan with the okra and other vegetables and stir.
Simmer until the liquid evaporates. Decorate the dish with herbs.

Okra with meat

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 107 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: main dish.
Cuisine: Lebanese.
Difficulty: medium.

You can prepare Lebanese okra from canned or fresh fruits which are fried until half cooked. Water is boiled and added in sufficient quantity to cover the beef, okra and other vegetables. If desired, replace the beef with lamb or pork, using ready-made minced meat. The meat can be pre-boiled and seasoned to taste, and broth can be added to the dish instead of water.

Ingredients:

canned okra – 880 g;
onion – 85 g;
beef – 320 g;
lemon juice– 25 ml;
water – 500 ml;
tomatoes – 410 g;
cinnamon - to taste;
tomato paste – 45 g;
olive oil – 35 ml;
garlic – 5 teeth;
spices - to taste;
greens - to taste.

Cooking method:

Cut the meat. Fry in oil until golden brown.
Add chopped garlic, 1-2 cinnamon sticks, tomato, diced onion, spices.
Fry, add 1-2 cups of water, stir. Simmer for half an hour.
Drain the okra in a colander and add to the meat.
Season with the juice of one small lemon.
Scald the tomatoes, peel and cut into cubes.
Combine with okra and other ingredients and stir.
Simmer until done, garnish the dish with fresh herbs or vegetables.

With fish in tomato sauce

Time: 1 hour 50 minutes.
Number of servings: 6 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 135 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: for lunch, dinner.
Cuisine: Arabic.
Difficulty: medium.

Small okra is stewed whole, without cutting into portions. The vegetable is combined with European salt or sole, the meat of which has a rich taste and is rich in potassium, fluorine, and phosphorus. You can treat your friends to this dish at Christmas - the characteristic color combination of red sauce and bright green fruits harmoniously fits into the atmosphere of the celebration.

Ingredients:

okra – 410 g;
tomato paste – 230 g;
fish fillet – 720 g;
mushrooms – 320 g;
bell pepper – 290 g;
vegetable broth – 300 ml;
fish broth – 100 ml;
onion – 225 g;
soy sauce – 25 ml;
vegetable oil - to taste;
spices - to taste.

Cooking method:

Cut the fillet and place it in a cauldron.
Add tomato, fish broth, spices. Simmer until almost done.
Separately chop the onion and pepper, brown in oil.
Add okra and fry vegetables for 5 minutes.
Add spices and chopped mushrooms.
Pour in vegetable broth, soy sauce. Stir and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
Add fried vegetables to the cauldron with fish, stir.
Cook the dish over medium heat until the sauce thickens.

Pickled

Time: 25 minutes.
Number of servings: 6 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 30 kcal per 100 g.
Purpose: snack.
Cuisine: Arabic.
Difficulty: medium.

Spicy, slightly crispy okra in a spicy-sweet marinade is an uncomplicated dish that will pleasantly surprise guests. The preparation can be stored for up to two weeks, but the vegetables are ready to eat after a night spent in the refrigerator. For the marinade, it is better to choose white wine vinegar - the fruits will acquire a beautiful olive color, but will not taste sour or boiled.

Ingredients:

okra – 875 g;
water – 580 ml;
vinegar – 580 ml;
chili pepper – 47 g;
sugar – 60 g;
salt – 35 g;
black pepper (peas) - to taste;
dill – 12 g;
coriander - to taste.

Cooking method:

Combine water, sugar, salt, coriander, vinegar, black pepper, and other spices to taste in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil, cook until sugar dissolves.
Place okra, chili pepper, and dill into jars.
Pour the hot marinade over the fruits and leave at room temperature.
After cooling, close with nylon lids.

Features of okra storage

Fresh okra will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days. She is immersed in plastic bag or wrapped in parchment paper. Only ripe okra is suitable for freezing. It is washed, the stems are cut, blanched for 3 minutes and immersed in ice water for another 3 minutes so that the fruits do not overcook and lose their taste. The water is drained, the vegetables are chopped or left whole. Okra is frozen and packaged in bags or trays.

Video

So, what should we have for dinner today? - this question is asked by inveterate bachelors, housewives, and students while wandering between the shelves of a supermarket. Those who are tired of the monotony of dishes will surely like it okra, which goes well with spices, vegetables, meat and fish. An exotic fruit will add variety to the menu and benefit the body.

History and characteristics of okra

Okra has several names: gumbo, lady fingers and okra. This is an annual vegetable crop, herbaceous plant. Depending on the variety, okra grows from 30 cm to 2 meters in height.

Okra resembles a shrub: covered with coarse hairs, the thick, rough stem is branched at the base. Okra leaves are large, dark green, seven-lobed, covered with hard down. Single large cream-colored flowers, with a purple spot in the middle, bloom in the axils of the leaves.

Okra fruits vaguely resemble peppers: elongated green pods covered with hairs. Okra is very fertile: ripe pods are collected every 3-4 days until the end of the harvest season. You can cut 5-10 pods from one bush at a time.

It is believed that okra first appeared in the African tropics. Still wild species okra can be found in the Antilles. In India and West Africa, there is a variety of varieties of this plant - it was in these regions that okra began to be cultivated and eaten.

Like many exotic vegetables, okra was brought to Europe by the Arabs. Already in the 18th century, this plant took root in American, Asian and European cuisines. Many people believe that okra came to Russia recently, but this is not so. For example, the famous Russian classic Anton Chekhov grew okra on a country plot near Moscow. In the territory former USSR Okra is grown in Ukraine and the Caucasus countries. In Russia, okra is grown in the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories on small private plantations.

During World War II, they learned to make a drink from okra seeds, which served as an alternative to the scarce coffee.

Okra: composition and beneficial properties

This is what okra looks like in cross section

European doctors have long introduced okra to the menu therapeutic diets for diabetes, asthma, cataracts, gastrointestinal diseases, sore throat, depression and stressful conditions. This is explained by the fact that okra is easily digestible and contains many essential to the human body substances.

Her pods are rich useful microelements: selenium, copper, calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, iron, zinc and potassium, and vitamins A, C, B6. One kilogram of okra contains only 310 calories. The pods contain a lot of nutritious protein and ascorbic acid.

For patients with atherosclerosis, it is advisable to eat 200 grams of okra once a week, which strengthens the walls of blood vessels. After all, the pods okra relieve swelling, remove excess fluid, cholesterol, excess bile, toxins from the body and regulate kidney function. In addition, okra stimulates small intestine production of probiotics, so it is especially useful after antibiotic treatment and for E. coli.

When cooked, okra releases a lot of viscous liquid that gently coats the stomach. This mucus is soluble fiber. This property okra helps to effectively treat gastritis and stomach ulcers. This is a gentle, nutritious product that relieves constipation and fights bloating. Okra pods are used to prepare healing decoction, helping with bronchitis, colds and stomach diseases. In addition, this mucilage, combined with dietary fiber, reduces blood sugar levels, so okra should be included in the diet of people suffering from diabetes. According to some scientists, okra can increase potency.

Okra recommended for pregnant women, especially during formation nervous system fruit, since the pods contain a considerable amount of folic acid. Okra dishes have a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and Airways. Therefore, they are recommended to be used after serious illnesses, operations, food poisoning and hard work. Scientists have proven that this plant helps fight colorectal cancer and other cancers.

This dietary product, therefore, many European nutritionists recommend introducing okra into your diet to get rid of excess weight. Okra helps fight obesity and improves metabolism.

Okra: use and contraindications

Okra is used exclusively in cooking. Only young, bright green pods are suitable for food, since ripe fruits become rough, tasteless and disintegrate into fibers. The young pods taste like eggplants, but they are milder in taste and have a pleasant mushroom flavor. Some people think they resemble okra. Therefore, the methods of preparing it are similar to eggplants and asparagus. In addition, okra is prepared for future use: canned, salted, frozen and dried.

You can cook okra in almost any way, including canning.

Okra goes well with vegetables, mushrooms, meat, fish, poultry and cereals. In addition, it is served as a separate side dish - raw, boiled or stewed.

Young okra leaves are also used in cooking: they are fried, added to salads and cold soups. A drink reminiscent of coffee is prepared from the roasted seeds of the fruit. In addition, they produce oil that is similar in taste and quality to olive oil. Roasted okra seeds are also used to make a tart, rich drink.

Okra has no contraindications for use, except for individual intolerance. However, hairs on the pods can cause severe allergic reaction, so they must be removed before cooking.

Okra has many names: gombo, lady's fingers or okra. There are many names, but they all mean the same vegetable crop from the mallow family.

The homeland of this vegetable is considered to be North African countries and the Middle East (Ethiopia, India). It is in these parts of the world that okra is especially popular and widespread.

Okra is an annual herbaceous vegetable crop that is related to cotton, cocoa and mallow. Low-growing varieties of okra grow up to 40 cm, and tall varieties - up to 2 m.

The stem of okra is dense, branched and covered with whitish, hard fibers. The leaves are large, with long petioles, with five and seven lobes, from light to dark green. The flowers are single, large, bisexual, cream-colored and are located in the axils of the leaves on short stalks covered with villi.

The fruits of okra are formed in the axils of the leaves and look like green polyhedral pods or cone-shaped boxes 6–30 cm in size, which contain okra seeds.

Growing okra in central Russia

Despite the fact that there is little information about okra even in specialized literature, the number of enthusiastic gardeners who love this plant for its healing and taste properties is growing every year.

Okra is a very heat-loving plant, so it is easier to grow it in the southern regions of Russia. However, amateur gardeners in the middle zone will be quite capable of growing it from potted seedlings.

To do this, you need to germinate seedlings from seeds over a month and a half (from 30 to 45 days) and plant them in a row at a distance of 30 cm from each other in preheated soil.

It must be remembered that potless seedlings will not take root, as they have a tap root with small branches.

The favorable temperature for germination of okra seeds is 20–220 C. The feeding area of okra seeds is open ground- 60x30 cm, and depth - 3–5 cm depending on the soil. The ideal soil for okra is light, fertile soil, on which, for example, cucumbers were previously grown.

It would also be good to fertilize the soil with humus and a mixture of mineral fertilizers. From the moment the seeds germinate, okra must be provided with phosphorus fertilizers: dilute 2 tbsp in a bucket of water. spoons. During the period of fruit ripening, the plant is fed with potassium nitrate in the same dosage.

Okra sprouts in about 10–15 days depending on the weather. The most favorable temperature for seedlings is 200 C. The plant needs constant watering, especially during the harvest period.
The ideal conditions under which moisture in the soil will remain is to cover the okra with a film. However, we must not forget to ventilate the plants by lifting the film so that the temperature does not rise above 300 C.

Harvesting okra

About 60 days after the seeds sprout, okra begins to bloom, and after another week the fruit can be harvested. In the southern regions, the harvest is harvested every other day, and in middle lane- every 3–5 days.

It must be remembered that fruits collected at the wrong time become inedible. Okra can bear fruit until frost. By the way, the plant calmly tolerates temperatures down to minus 20 C, but the ripening of fruits slows down sharply.

The most popular varieties of okra are White Cylindrical, Sona, White Velvet, Green Velvet and Ladyfingers.

Useful properties of okra

Okra is a storehouse of useful and nutrients. Young pods contain many vitamins A, K, C, B6, as well as potassium, folic acid, thiamine, calcium, and iron. This vegetable is also full of protein and fiber. In a word, this plant is simply a godsend for vegetarians.

Okra is very suitable for the nutrition of pregnant women, especially in the first trimester, due to its high content of folic acid, since it is responsible for the formation of the neural tube of the fetus.

Okra also promotes excretion excess liquid from the body, removes excess cholesterol and toxins, normalizes intestinal motility and even helps heal stomach ulcers.

Okra is also indicated for those who are prone to depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. It will help with respiratory diseases (pneumonia, tonsillitis), relieve asthmatics from asthma attacks (due to the high content of antioxidants), and also strengthen the walls of capillaries in those suffering from atherosclerosis.

Scientists have proven that okra - effective remedy prevention of some varieties oncological diseases, such as colorectal cancer. In addition, eating okra reduces the risk of diabetes and cataracts.

Men suffering from impotence also benefit greatly from eating okra.

Okra in cooking

This vegetable tastes similar to green beans or eggplant, so the methods for preparing them are similar. However, okra can not only be boiled, stewed and fried, but also added fresh to salads.

Soups, sauces, appetizers and side dishes with okra are very tasty. It goes well with fish, meat and poultry.

The main feature of okra during heat treatment is the release large quantity mucilage, which gives the desired texture for stews and pureed soups.

When the sliminess of okra is not desired, then it is quickly fried over high heat and tomato or lemon juice is added. Fry okra either whole or in pieces.

In India and Pakistan they love it in pickled form. In Egypt, Syria and Iran, it is an essential ingredient in vegetable and meat stews. In Brazil, chicken is cooked only with okra. Even the Japanese add this vegetable to their famous tempura.

Even okra seeds are used in cooking. The mature seeds are roasted and brewed into coffee, which has an aromatic and rich taste. Beneficial and beneficial properties are also extracted from okra seeds. delicious oil. Salads are prepared from its leaves and added to soups.

But there are cases of individual intolerance to okra. In addition, you need to be careful with the fibers covering its fruit, as they can cause severe allergies. These fibers are removed before preparing the fruit.

Okra is a universal plant: decorative, healthy, and tasty. Grow it on your own summer cottage and enjoy its amazing properties.